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Under Lock and Key, Ant Hamlyn’s Synthetic Flowers Scramble for Space

This post was originally published on Colossal

Encased in transparent cubes and smushed behind panes of acrylic, Ant Hamlyn’s (previously) brilliant blooms and verdant stems are perpetually preserved. Polyurethane-coated fabrics, which he hand-sews and then stuffs, shape a cartoonish view of our predilection to try to harness and preserve things of beauty.

Often focusing on bright botanicals and fungi, Hamlyn’s playful sculptures crush fabric flowers into cases secured with wing nuts or locked with soft padlocks. Captive blossoms, leaves, and terracotta pots appear just barely contained but with no means of escape.

“Vase 4” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc-routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 
55 x 40 x 10 centimeters

Two ongoing series, Vases and Toy Garden, examine the relationship between hard and soft, synthetic and organic, and fragility and play. Mashed up against their enclosures, the blooms appear incredibly uncomfortable while also exuding brightness and cheer.

Explore more of the artist’s work on his website and Instagram.

Selection from the series Toy Garden
“Vase 2” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc-routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 55 x 40 x 10 centimeters
“Vase 6” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc-routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 55 x 40 x 10 centimeters
“Vase 3” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, laser cut acrylic, cnc routed plywood, gloss paint, and fixings, 55 x 40 x 10 centimeters
“Toy Garden 5” (2024), hand-sewn and machined polyurethane coated fabrics, stuffing, sealed acrylic vitrine, and stainless steel, 20 x 20 x 20 centimeters
Detail of “Vase 6”

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Canadian Solar and Flow Power to install anti-hail solar

Canadian Solar and Flow Power to install anti-hail solar

Canadian Solar and Flow Power have teamed up to deliver the first Flow Power solar project featuring Canadian Solar’s anti-hail modules.

This project will also mark the first deployment of Canadian Solar’s anti-hail technology in Australia.

Set to be delivered in 2025, the South Australian solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) in Coonawarra will provide increased protection for solar panels in extreme weather conditions.

Developed through extensive testing, the company’s anti-hail technology is said to help safeguard solar panels from severe weather, including hailstorms. This is part of Canadian Solar’s commitment to providing durable, high-performance solutions for renewable energy projects in some of the world’s challenging environments.

Based in the Coonawarra wine region, Flow Power’s first project to utilise the technology will be a solar farm paired with a DC-coupled BESS. This project will be the first of many sites where Canadian Solar and Flow Power collaborate to install the company’s anti-hail technology across the country.

“We’re excited to be using Canadian Solar’s TOPCon anti-hail panels in our upcoming energy projects,” said Tom Harrison, Flow Power’s General Manager Energy Projects.

“At Flow Power, we are committed to innovation, and we always work to make each new project better than the last. That includes building smarter, more resilient energy solutions, and the Coonawarra Energy Project is a testament to that mission. By integrating anti-hail technology into our solar farms, we are not only enhancing the durability of our assets, but also ensuring greater reliability for our customers, even in extreme weather conditions.”

“We are proud to partner with Flow Power to bring our advanced anti-hail solar panels to Australian energy projects,” said Dr Shawn Qu, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. “This first project highlights our commitment to providing innovative solutions that enhance the durability and performance of solar energy systems in Australia.”

The first phase of the Coonawarra Energy Project will begin soon, with the solar modules set to be installed in the coming months.

Image credit: iStock.com/Ihor Kochet

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